​Three years have passed from Stridens Hus, and, as tradition wants, every three years Taake release a new album; this tradition is respected once again and therefore, three years later, a new Taake album, Kong Vinter, sees the light of day.

It is with a veil of sadness that I undertake the task of reviewing Kong Vinter.I think that Stridens hus had officially sanctioned that Hoest's band was on the wane, but still it contained at least some vivid moments, such as “Gamle Norig”, “Orm”, “Det fins en prins”, which are really good songs. The new album does not do eventhis either: it is completely pale, vapid, uninspired;it almost seems that Kong Vinter was released only to meet the three-year deadline without actually having anything to say;it is clear that the creative vein of Hoest has entered a phase of stagnation.In Kong Vinter you can possibly save the first song “Sverdes vei” if you want to be kind, but otherwise nothing at all.I do not want to even mention the great classics of the Norwegian band, because that would be really uneven and unfair, but in the main riff of a recent song like “Gamle Norig”, for example, it was still possible to find a trace of the typical epic atmosphere that was the band's trademark.What is even worse is that it seems that even production has worsened.Disappointing.

Notes:Kong Vinter was released as digi-pack on November 24 2017 through Dark Essence Records.